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On Friday, 8th December, Pastor Samuel Barriah Zindani hosted a Christmas Mushairah which was attended by about fifty participants, Christians and Muslims, many of whom recited their poetry about the Christmas theme. The event took place at The Ridlley Christian Centre, 94 Upton Lane, Forest Gate. The participants who took part in reciting their poems included, Dr Kashif, Syed Absar Ahmed, Sarwat Iqbal, Mehbub A Mehbub, Aslam Zahid, Dr Rahim-ullah Shad, Amjad Mirza, Shikb Mirza, Rev Naeem Waiz, Pastor Asif M Sadiq, while Akhtar Injeeli, the chief-guest for the event closed the night with recitations from Basharat-e Uzma by E.Q. Injeeli. Mr Albert Daniel and Mukhtar Younis presented musical numbers and Pastor Zindani explained the significance of the Christmas event. The event was organized with the help of Mr Ilyas Ayub, Mr Abdul-Aziz and other dignitaries from the host Church.

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According to the UK's The Daily Telegraph (10 Oct. 17) vice -president of Balliol's Junior Common Room (JCR) baned a stall of students belonging to the Christian Union (CU), on the grounds ath "Historically, Christianity's influence on many marginalized communities has been damaging it its metos of conversion and rules of practice, and it still used in many places as an excuse for homophobia and certain form so fneo-colonialism." (p10)

I would like to call into question the validity of the following statement in the above article "Historically, Christianity's influence on many marginalized communities has been damaging in its methods of conversion and rules of practice and is still used in many places as an excuse for homophobia and certain forms of neo-colonialism." I am a fifth generation Christian from the part of India which became Pakistan seventy years ago. My ancestors converted to Christianity from "marginalized communities". I can say with great certainty that historically, Christianity's influence on many marginalized communities has been socially life-changing and educationally and economically uplifting. In the life of millions, throughout the world, Christianity has been able to bring positive changes in one generation which otherwise would have taken many. Its use as "an excuse for homophobia and certain forms of neo-colonialism" is a gross exaggeration, at most it may apply to a few but not "many places" as alleged. And of course, the students who come to study at Oxford know that this great institution of learning is steeped in Christian culture, Christian values and Christian ethos. The presence of Christianity in Oxford is among it's assets and not liabilities. May be, the vice-president of Balliol's Junior common room committee should be more mindful of "potential harm" that his bias and ignorance can cause to the great traditions of one the finest institutions of learning. In matters like these, I wonder, how accommodating will be the centers of higher learning where traditions of other great religions are part of their cultural heritage?

CUWAP Report (09 October 2017): We are extremely sad to announce that Mr Naeem Shakir, Awami Workers Party's (AWP) senior leader and a renowned Human Rights lawyer and activist passed away in his Lord's rest on 8th October 2017, after suffering a cardiac arrest while in USA. The members and supporters of the Christian Urdu Writers & Poets' Organization offer our sincerest condolences and deepest sympathies to the family and friends. Mr Shakir has left behind his wife, and two children (a daughter and a son), and of course a very large number of comrades. He was a Christian by faith, and a committed socialist in matters of political ideology.

As a Christian from Pakistan, I feel the loss of Mr Shakir to be one of our greatest. It's never a good time to loose a legal mind of his stature, but the timing of his death is espacially unfortunate for Pakistani Christians, as he was a brave and ardent defender of minorities. We, all will miss him. And on behalf of Christain Urdu Writers and Poets Organization we would like to acknowledge his services publically and unreservidly. We also extend our heart felt condolences to his family and loved ones.

The famous columnist, political analyst, writer and theologian, Mr Enayat Masih Badr Sarhadi (popularly known as Ain Meeem Badr Sarhadi), died peacefully in Lahore in the early morning hours of 17th July 2016. His incisive political analyses, challenging views and prolific expositions will be greatly missed by all those who loved to follow his work. He has left us scores of articles, editorials, essays and critiques, but will be best remembered for his treatise: Nazeriya-e Qaid, Riyasat aur Aqleeyatain.

And the point is...

For over two decades now the minorities in Pakistan have been trying to make one single point about the, now internationally notorious, "Blasphemy laws"; that these laws can easily be used to harass the minorities and the weaker members of the society (be they from any religious group). Hence, they need to be revisited.

The potential for the misuse and abuse of these laws is obvious to anyone even with the most rudimentary knowledge of Pakistani society.

And now EVEN an uneducated, mentally handicapped, Christian, girl-child, slum-dweller of Islamabad, fully comprehends this issue. Even she knows, only too well, that these laws are open to abuse!

Questions that need no answersThe so called Blasphemy Laws have yet again earned Pakistan centre-stage attention in the world media. And what the custodians of justice have not "seen" in their neighborhood millions have watched throughout the world: thanks to media and social networking sites. The days of hiding the lamps of information under the bushels of rhetoric of ignorance are fast disappearing.

In important issues silly questions almost never need answers; because their underlying motives are to either cause distraction or to add to the confusion. A classic use of the logic, if you cannot convince them; confuse them.

In Rimsha's case many silly questions have been asked, one of them being:

How did (or how do) the pages of the Islamic Holy Scriptures get into the homes and hands of Christians in Pakistan? Shouldn't only Christian Scriptures be found there.

Even a prominent scholar on a TV interview raised the question saying that (only) the Holy Bible or the Injeel should be found in the homes and hands of Christians. And referring to Rimsha's case asserted, that it needs to be established why she had (access to) the pages containing Islamic sacred texts. Given the ground-realities of Pakistan, I do not feel there is any need to point out the absurdity of such questions, as my reaction here is the same as exhibited by Mohtarma Hina Khar Rubbani, (when she is asked a question about the formulation of Pakistan's foreign policy on ARY news channel ); "I am amazed, I am appalled, and I do not know what words to use". Pakistan is awash with papers carrying names of holy personages and portions of the Holy Islamic texts. Please consider the following:

1. All children in Pakistan, Muslim and non-Muslim alike, use state-approved text books and these contain material that have portions of Islamic religious texts. These books and Qaidas are part and parcel of the Pakistani children's book sets. They read them, learn from them and carry them around.

2. Nearly every Urdu newspaper and magazine contains special sections which have either the portions of the exact texts or references to Islamic Holy scripture and personages.

With a few linking thoughts I believe the above two statements are a complete answer to the question.

However since Rimsha's case a third option must be added and always be kept in mind.

3. Malicious individuals with premeditated intentions of sowing evil in the God-given land can plant them as evidence to bring harm to those who are weaker and poorer.

It would be laudable if Holy Scriptures of various religions were used only for worthy and just causes, then nobody would need to ask silly questions and nobody would need answer them.Unfortunately hatred and spitefulness for Christians in Pakistan is of such a degrees that some Muslims will go to the unimaginable lengths of desecrating their own Scriptures. Need more be said?